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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26119252">foolish</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonesock/pseuds/bonesock'>bonesock</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Fluff, M/M, POV Third Person, Pining, Pre-Relationship, lots of pining</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 03:40:02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>959</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26119252</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/bonesock/pseuds/bonesock</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Talon suffers an injury.  Vilkas scolds his recklessness while tending to his wounds.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Male Dovahkiin | Dragonborn/Vilkas, Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Character(s), Vilkas (Elder Scrolls)/Original Male Character(s)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>29</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>foolish</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>this was inspired by <a href="https://dullgraves.tumblr.com/post/627392809844064256/gay-irl-gay-irl">this picture</a> i saw on tumblr. it's currently midnight, and i'm tired, but i stayed up writing despite my exhaustion, because these two make me soft. (°◡°♡).:｡</p><p><a href="https://dullgraves.tumblr.com/post/627707636726530048/foolish-vilkas-x-moc">tumblr mirror here!</a> </p><p><a href="https://dullgraves.tumblr.com/myocs">my ocs</a> ; <a href="https://dullgraves.tumblr.com/talon">talon's biography</a></p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>	It was foreign for Vilkas to demonstrate such fragility.  Hesitance riddled his every movement, as though one wrong brush of his fingers would cause the man’s collapse.  The wound purged and blackened and smelled of copper, and his hands stained red as he tended to it.  His digits trembled, ever so slightly, as he began to bandage the gash.  Dried blood coated the length of Talon’s dull blue flesh, and as Vilkas continued tending the wound, the Dunmer thrashed and twitched in objection.  “Keep still,” Vilkas demanded.  “I can’t help if you keep moving.”  Pain seared in Talon’s veins, and aches battered him ‘til he was sore.  Still, even in his exhaustion, his body protested the inaction.  His fingers twined into the grass, now dampened with blood.  Trembles coursed his chest, a consequence of anxiety and adrenaline.  Vilkas steadied him by his shoulder.  “Talon.  Stop moving.  You want this to get infected?”</p><p>	“Ah, I’m a real hearty type, you know.  Gonna take more than this to kill me,” Talon grinned.</p><p>	“I didn’t say <i>kill,</i> I said <i>infected.</i>  Now stop moving.  Let me treat this.”  Slowly, he worked more bandages around Talon’s wound.  The gnarly cut spread across his bicep, and blood lingered near the split, staining the blue tint of his skin.  A few scrapes grazed his cheek.  Blackness swelled his right eye.  His nose crooked slightly to the left, and blood smeared from his nostrils to his top lip.  Still, even in pain, Talon seemed comfortable.  His comfort never evaded him.  It confused Vilkas, to see the man withstand, despite himself.  Though the strain in his body begged for defeat, nevertheless, Talon straightened to the challenge—and all the while <i>smiling,</i> no less.</p><p>	Vilkas exhaled.  His eyes grew tough on the blooms of purple bruises kissing Talon’s bloodied knuckles.  The threat had long since fallen, but it did little to ease Vilkas.  At the sound of any disturbance, no matter how insignificant, he startled and snarled like some imperiled animal.  A few feet from them, a bear carcass laid dead, Talon’s doing.  Another exhale escaped him.  Carefully, Vilkas ran his thumb atop Talon’s damaged knuckles.  The words were unbidden:  “You’re a damn fool.  You could’ve gotten yourself killed, and for what?  A quick thrill?”</p><p>	At the contact, Talon winced, and a smile tangled around his lips.  “I killed the damn thing, didn’t I?”</p><p>	“Aye, and it could’ve easily killed <i>you.</i>  Luck granted you favor.”</p><p>	“Well, I thought it was cool.”</p><p>	“That’s the fool in you talking,” Vilkas snorted.  “The fool who thinks it well to challenge a <i>bear</i> on his own.”</p><p>	He smirked, “I thought the Companions were all about a good fight?”</p><p>	“Perhaps.  That shouldn’t give you the mind to act a damned fool.  What would you have me tell the Harbinger, had you been killed?  Death by a bear?  Death by his incompetence?”  As he scolded, he worked the bandages along Talon’s hands.  With each tarrying grace, the man whined and keened and begged his body to still.  His skin burned, and he unconsciously began uprooting the grass with his opposite hand.  Vilkas released him, and the pain eased.  “Being a Companion isn’t about needlessly fighting everything you see, and it <i>definitely</i> isn’t about fighting a <i>losing fight</i> on a <i>whim.</i>”</p><p>	“Losing fight?  Where’s this losing fight you speak of?  Might I remind you that I’m the one well and breathing.”</p><p>	“Well, and breathing, and <i>foolish.”</i> </p><p>	Talon flashed a lopsided, nonchalant grin.  “Aye, I’m well aware of that.”</p><p>	“And yet you’re still acting a fool.  I fail to understand you, elf.”  His eyes observed each wound.  The sight of blood, of bruises, of broken skin, burdened his chest.  It sickened him to see Talon’s efforts at disguising his pain.  It sickened him to see that, beneath it all, he truly felt pain.  “Do you have some sort of death wish?  Do you take pride in being so reckless?  Your recklessness will <i>kill</i> you.  You can’t just pick a fight with everything that gives you the sore eye.”  The further he spoke, the further his chest pined and passion grew to him.  It was spilling over, now, without inhibition to wreath and wrought him still.  “You’re a <i>damned</i> reckless fool.  It’s only by luck you’re not dead right now.  You ought to be dead.  Is your life so invaluable to you, you’d throw it away just to spar with a bear?  Or are you just too <i>foolish</i> to recognize you’re not invincible?  By the nine, boy.  You could’ve <i>died—</i>”</p><p>	Talon gazed longingly before him.  He’d become entranced by the man’s incessant protests.  With every stressed syllable, he felt the Nord’s breath kiss and warm his cheeks.  The dawdling grace of his calloused hands imprinted to Talon’s palm, ‘til he was certain he’d feel the phantom caress for days to come.</p><p>As if awakened from a dream, Vilkas recognized their proximity.  The words caught to his throat.  Warmth stirred in his belly, and then his cheeks.  He spoke, withdrew, and his eyes bored to the ground.  “Ah… pardon me.  I… got a little carried away.”</p><p>	Talon only smiled, bared and toothy and dimpling at the cheeks.  “No, no.  You’re fine.  I was enjoying that.”</p><p>	“Ah.  Well.  Good, then.”  Vilkas faced the opposite direction, as if to poorly conceal the blush burned to his cheeks.  His thumb brushed unconsciously over Talon’s bandaged palm, a ghost of movement, something pure and without intent.  He parted and steadied himself to his feet.  As Talon began to follow, Vilkas shook his head.  “Don’t.  You’re hurt.  It’s getting late.  We can camp here.  I’ll get the bedrolls.”</p><p>	“You brought the bedrolls?”</p><p>	“Aye, I brought the bedrolls.”</p><p>	Talon chuckled.  “Thank the Divines, you brought the bedrolls.”</p><p>	Vilkas couldn’t will the smile from his lips.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>thanks for reading!（⌒▽⌒ゞ</p></blockquote></div></div>
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